Today’s Saturday Stumper

Geography to the rescue: 14-A, eight letters, “Chicago IMAX theater site on the Lake.” That’s a start. And 4-Down, four letters, “English coal port”? That’s guessable. As is, somehow, 15-A, seven letters, “Presidential summit, today.” But today’s Newsday  Saturday Stumper, by “Andrew Bell Lewis” (Matthew Sewell and Brad Wilber), was an undelightful slog. Nine abbreviations and acronyms and initialisms. Too many, IMHO. Too much trivia: 1-A, eight letters, “App used by MLB for player evaluation.” And I wonder if the constructors were trying to outdo each other in the farfetchedness department. 29-D, nine letters, “Appliance needing good food release.” What? Or rather, Wut?

Some clue-and-answer pairs I liked:

12-D, nine letters, “What you don't have to take.” Clever.

34-A, seven letters, “Misses surfing, perhaps.” Thank you, Brian Wilson.

44-D, five letters, “Crème brûlée ingredient.” Ridiculous, but enjoyable.

55-A, six letters, “Teem members?” Cute.

One really unconvincing clue: 43-D, six letters, “Staple of Chinese cuisine.” I have never heard anyone refer to this six-letter answer. Some online searching suggests that it’s a reach. Just toss it in that appliance needing good food release.

No spoilers: the answers are in the comments.